The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-05-28
Declaration Of Purposes Of the Patrons OF
HusbAndrv.

| Husbhndrv.
adopted BY the National Grange at its Ser
enM Annuai Session held at So. Louis, No
February, 1874
PREAMBLE.
Profo ndedly Impressed with the truth
that the National Grange of the United
should definitely proclaim to the world IL
general objects, We hereby mske this Dec
lniaton oil Purposes of the Patrons of Illus
bandry
GENERAL OBJECTS.
I. United by the stong and faithful III
of Agriculture, We mutually resolve 10 la
Dor for the good of cur Order, our country
and mankind,
2 We heartily endorse the motto, 4" Ii
essentials, unity; In non essentials, liberty
In all things charity"
SPECIFIC OBJECTS.
3. We shall eudeavur IL advance oul
cause by laboriDg TO accomplish the follow
ing objects:
To develop a better and higher manhood
and wumanhood among ourselves. To en-
nance the comforts and attractions of oul
homes, and strengthen our attachment, Il
our pursuits. To foster mutual understand
ing and cooperation. To maintain invio
late our laws, aud To emulate each other In
labor, To hasten the good time coming. To
reduce our expenses, both individual and
corporate. To buy less and produce more
in order 10 make our farms self sustaining
To diversity our crops and crop no more
than we cultivate. To coDdense the weight
of cur exports, selling less in the bushel
and more ON hoof and in fleece; less In lin,
an 4 more in warp and wouf. To systemic
our work, and calculate intelligently on
probabilities. To discOuntenance the credit
system, the fashion system, and every other
system tending to prodigality and bank,
ruptcy.
We propose meeting together, talking To-
gether, working together, buying together
selling together, and, in general, acting 10
gether for oar mutual protection and al.
vance ment, us occasion may require.
We shall avoid litigation US much as pos
sible, by arbitration in the Grange, We
shall constantly strive 10 secure entire har
mony, good will, vital brotherhood among
ourselves, and 10 make our order perpetual
We shall earnestly endeavor 10 suppress
personal, local, sectional and national preju
uices all unhealthy rivalry, all selfish am
bitiOn. Faithful adherence to these pin
ciples will insure our mental, moral, and
social, and material advancement.
BUSINESS RELATIONS
4. For oar business interests we desire &c
bring producers and consumers, farmers
and manufacturers, into the most direct
and friendly relations possible. Hence we
must dispense with a surplus of middle
men, not that we are untriendly to them,
but we do not need them. Their surplus
and their eXactions diminish our profits.
We wage no aggressive warfare against
any other interests whatever. On the con
trary, all our &c S, and all our efforts, 50 far
as business is concerned, are not only for
the beLetit of the producer and consumer,
but also for all other interests that tend TO
bring these two parties into speedy and
economical contact Hence we hold that
transportation companies of every kind are
necessary TO our success, that their interests
are intimately connected with our interest,
and harmonious action Is mutually advan
tageous, keeping in view the first sentence
in our Declaration of Principles of Action,
that individual happiness depends upon
general prosperity"
We shall therefore advocate for every
State the increase in every practicable way
of all facilities tor transporting cheaply to
the sea board, or between home producers
and consumers, all the productions of our
country. We adopt II rs our fixed purpose
"tO open out the channels In natures great
arteries, that the life blood OF commerce
may flow freely
We are not enemies of railroads, naviga-
BILE and irr eating canals, or OF any corpor
alton that will advance our industrial in
terests, nor of any laborlng classes.
In our noble Order there is o commun-
ism, no agrarianism
We are opposed to such spirit aud man
agement of any corporation or enterprise
as tends to Cypress the people, and rob
them of their just profits We are not en-
mics to capital, but we oppose the tyranny
of monopolies We long to see the antag-
Onism between capital and labor removed
by common consent, and 10y an enlightened
worthy of the nineteenth
century. We are opposed to excessive high
salaries, rates of interest, and eXhorbi,ant
per cent profits in trade. They greatly in
crease burdens, and do not bear a proper
to the profits of producers. We
!esire only self protection, and the protec-
ion of every true interest of our land by
legitimate traL sactions, legitimate trade,
and Legitimate profits
EDUCATION.
We shall advocate the cause Of aduCa.
ion among ourselves and for our children,
by all just means within our power. We
advocate for our a JriCultural and
Industrial colleges, that practical agricu'-
ure, domestic science, and all the arts
which adOrn the home, be taught in their
curses of study.
THE GRANGE NOT PARTISAN.
5. We emphatically and sincerely assert
he oft repeated truth taught in our organic
avs that the Grange National, State or
not a political or party or
,anization. No Grange, if true to its obi |
cations, can discuss political or religious
questions, n r call political conventions, nor
dominate candidates, nor even discuss their |
merits in its meetings.
Yet the principles we teach underlle all !
rue politics, all true craftsmanship, and it
properly carried out, will tend To purity
he whole political atmosphere of our coun-
ry, for we seek the greatest good to all.
BY resolution Of the National Grange, /
'oston, Mass, 1885, "the greatest number"
r,uad and tho yparJ 4 I ! ~ Sph.t;tn,al | |